Season 2025

[oriel]

Surprised by how many are backing Pats to win this year. I can't see past Rovers myself, and think Pats could even end up in 3rd.

No-one bothering to predict who'll win the Cup?

A lot seem to think Kenny is building up head of steam, and he has his classic 2 for every position, I think its a straight dog fight, Rovers and Pats, kind of changing my mind now, maybe going for Rovers as they have the experience, and maybe a throw back to the great DFC teams, when they missed out once in 2017, won the next 2 leagues. Rovers could do the same. I`m also not sure Pats have the goals to win the league. It will be close though.

Not convinced on Derry, too many new players, also for Shels I get feeling they just won't repeat that 2024 season, but they will make europe. Duff has them very well set up.

Dundalk are favs, but it won't be an easy route to win it, far from it, brand new team, re-set etc.

[sbgawa]

A lot seem to think Kenny is building up head of steam, and he has his classic 2 for every position, I think its a straight dog fights, Rovers and Pats, kind of changing my mind now, maybe going for Rovers, as not sure Pats have the goals to win it. It will be close though. Not convinced on Derry, too many new players, also for Shels get feeling they just won't repeat that season, but they will make europe. Duff has them very well set up.

If u aren't convinced Pats have the goals who is going to score for Rovers? Based on last couple of seasons we can expect half seasons from Jack and Burke....Aaron Greene? . Burns Farrugia and Kenny gone from Rovers....in...danny grant....hmmm

[2 Year Contract]

A lot seem to think Kenny is building up head of steam, and he has his classic 2 for every position, I think its a straight dog fight, Rovers and Pats, kind of changing my mind now, maybe going for Rovers as they have the experience, and maybe a throw back to the great DFC teams, when they missed out once in 2017, won the next 2 leagues. Rovers could do the same. I`m also not sure Pats have the goals to win the league. It will be close though.

Not convinced on Derry, too many new players, also for Shels I get feeling they just won't repeat that 2024 season, but they will make europe. Duff has them very well set up.

Dundalk are favs, but it won't be an easy route to win it, far from it, brand new team, re-set etc.

Top scorers in the league last year and haven’t lost anyone that played a big part in that. I’d still have rovers as favourites but there’s definitely goals in that Pats side

[RealJohn91]

Unless Rovers pull something out of the bag they're relying on a very promising 16 year old but still only a 16 year old and a year older Aaron Greene to replace Kenny's output. Seems like a big ask at the moment. Lost a lot of pace too.

[sbgawa]

The pace is the thing imo. Europe has papered over the cracks. Losing the league with our budget was bad enough but heading into next season with essentially the same old injury prone squad is a recipe for disaster.

[Kiki Balboa]

Anytime I seen Rovers in Europe, Kenny was the one that really seemed to bring the team to another level. From the outside, it seemed it was his form that was really the difference between the first and second half of the season too.

Lopes is a year older as well, will be 33 this year.

[WeAreRovers]

The pace is the thing imo. Europe has papered over the cracks. Losing the league with our budget was bad enough but heading into next season with essentially the same old injury prone squad is a recipe for disaster.

Finished 2nd after a terrible start, only losing the title on the last night, made history in Europe etc etc. Kenny a huge loss undoubtedly but the five new signings include the best keeper in the league, a hugely promising young striker and in Matt Healy a young box-to-boxer who has always impressed me for the U21s.

We are a striker short, no doubt, and IMO it's good that we are not favourites for a change but to characterise last season as 'papering over the cracks' and the squad as 'essentially the same old injury prone squad' is a laughably miserable outlook.

[WeAreRovers]

Anytime I seen Rovers in Europe, Kenny was the one that really seemed to bring the team to another level. From the outside, it seemed it was his form that was really the difference between the first and second half of the season too.

Lopes is a year older as well, will be 33 this year.

Kenny was brilliant but it was Dylan Watts form that was the real difference in the second half of the season.

[culloty82]

Premier Division:
1. St Pats
2. Shamrock Rovers
3. Shelbourne
4. Derry City
5. Sligo
6. Bohemians
7. Galway
8. Waterford
9. Drogheda
10. Cork

First Division:
1. Cobh
2. Dundalk
3. UCD
4. Wexford
5. Bray
6. Athlone
7. Treaty
8. Kerry
9. Finn Harps
10. Longford

Bottom of the First will essentially boil down to a mini-league between the bottom four, so you could just as easily put Longford seventh as last.

[pineapple stu]

I wonder does Another Bohemia want to revise the predictions from December? (Nothing in them particularly - just it's a brave call predicting things that far in advance!)

I'll go -

Premier
1) Pat's - hard to argue against 13 straight wins in all competitions (ended by Athlone of all teams...)
2) Rovers - still don't trust Bradley, though the signings seem better than last year (McGinty > Steacy for example) and there'll be less of a European distraction. But some key players have gone, the academy still isn't contributing and I think there'll be a reasonable gap at the top.
3) Shels - tempting to dismiss them as a one-off and put them mid-table, but Duff clearly knows what he's doing. More European games probably won't help domestically - and had Kenny been at Pat's a couple of weeks longer Shels wouldn't have won the league, so I can't see them finishing ahead of Pat's if nothing else
4) Galway - feck it, why not? It's what I predicted last season and it nearly came off.
5) Bohs - seem to have signed well. If Whelan can get his career back on track (and if Mousset is any good after two years without a game) then goals won't be an issue, and that's always a good start.
6) Derry - seem weaker than last season?
7) Waterford - more likely to be caught up in the turmoil at the bottom than going for Europe I think
8) Cork - Maguire/Keating to do enough to keep them up
9) Sligo - pre-season as unimpressive as last year, without the late late signings of Mata/McGinley to lift them to last year's mid-table spot
10) Drogheda - maybe a bit harsh based on their run-in form to be honest. Really hard to call the automatic relegation spot though. A key injury or two for any of the bottom four could swing things.

First
1) Cobh - seem to have signed well
2) UCD - home-team bias obviously
3) Dundalk - on paper should be strong, but equally have potential for a financial crisis to destroy things. Actually in that case, third is about the least likely place they'll finish - it's just an average of the two outcomes
4) Bray - three plastic pitches in the top four? But they seem more stable than recent years, and made the play-off semis last year
5) Wexford
6) Treaty
7) Athlone
8) Kerry
9) Longford
10) Harps - I know pretty much nothing about the rest tbh.

[DCSIL]

A few thoughts

Pats to win the premier, I criticised them a few months ago for a lack of ambition, now if they don’t do this time will the chance pass again?
Followed by Shels and Shamrock Rovers
Then positions 4-9 could be anyone
Sligo to finish bottom

Dundalk to win the First Division, Cobh should challenge them but the elephant in the room is Mick McDermott

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Pats
Shams
Shels
Bohs
Derry
Galway
Cork
Rovers
Waterford
Drogs

[Kiki Balboa]

It will be interesting to see how that early European game effects Rovers league form, considering they have been so poor in the early parts of the year for a couple of years now. Saying that, losing Kenny seems like a massive loss right now. McGinty is the signing of the season, but also feel there defensive is getting softer compared to other years. Lopes (and Grace) are turning 33 this year, so any decline there, and it could be a struggle.

Seems like Sligo lost a lot players and didnt bring in too many. Hakiki is an excellent player though. Shels seem very top heavy, although Mipo Odubeko is the most interesting signing of this year.

With the set-up they have, think Galway, Waterford and Bohs will have enough about them to consistently pick up points without getting dragged into a relegation battle.

Drogheda keeping Ahui and DJT is good for them, but they play so little football, you can see them going on some bad runs that keep them close to the play-offs.

Cork feels like they can do a 'Dundalk', and never really start to get going. Unless, Maguire does a Padraig Amond, and they would be fine.

1. Pats
2. Rovers

(Gap)

3. Derry
4. Shels

(Gap)

5. Galway
6. Bohs
7. Waterford
8. Drogheda

(Gap)

9. Sligo Rovers
10. Cork City

Going to change it after looking at some preseason games:

1. Pats

2. Rovers
3. Shels

4. Bohs
5. Cork City
6. Derry
7. Galway
8. Waterford

9. Sligo Rovers

10. Drogheda

Cup: Dundalk

[kksaints]

Premier Division

Pats
Shamrock Rovers
Shelbourne
Derry
Bohemians
Galway United
Waterford
Cork City
Sligo Rovers
Drogheda United

First Division

Dundalk
Cobh Ramblers
Wexford FC
Athlone Town
UCD
Bray Wanderers
Treaty United
Kerry
Finn Harps
Longford Town

Cup Winners- Shels
Top Scorer- Keena
First manager to leave- Keith Long

[total hoofball]

I don't think the Premier Division will be as tight from 1-10 as last season I expect some increase in spread between teams in top-half/bottom-half of the table but all teams will still be at a competitive level to regularly pick points off each other. Like last season the fastest team out of the starting blocks after 10-12 games towards end of April will be hard to beat, if it's Pats in that position at end of April carrying their momentum from last season they will be overwhelming favourites

First Division is shaping to be vastly more interesting than last season. I don't think there is much between my Top 4 teams any of them could win it, that Dundalk team is nowhere near the strength of Cork from last season I'm not buying them as clear favourites, Cobh have added proven quality they will be there as will Athlone but with that young UCD team largely intact with a year extra experience 2nd to 1st in the table is an achievable move up the table this season


Premier Division:

1. St. Patrick's Athletic
2. Shamrock Rovers
3. Shelbourne
4. Bohemians
5. Derry City
6. Galway United
7. Waterford
8. Drogheda United
9. Sligo Rovers
10. Cork City


First Division:

1. UCD
2. Cobh Ramblers
3. Dundalk
4. Athlone Town
5. Wexford
6. Bray Wanderers
7. Treaty United
8. Finn Harps
9. Kerry
10. Longford Town

[cobhlad]

Premier Division:
1. St Pats
2. Shamrock Rovers
3. Shelbourne
4. Derry City
5. Bohemians
6. Galway
7. Drogheda
8. Waterford
9. Cork
10. Sligo

First Division:
1. Cobh
2. Dundalk
3. UCD
4. Athlone
5. Wexford
6. Bray
7. Harps
8. Kerry
9. Treaty
10. Longford

[ForzaForth]

Top four teams of Division One seem to be nailed on either for automatic promotion or play-offs. Cobh's strong spine of ex-Cork players may sway it. Haven't seen some of Wexford's new players yet but fifth seems a reasonable bet. Kerry may spring a surprise. Hopefully, nobody runs away with the league as it kills a lot of interest. Aaron Dobbs for top scorer.

1. Cobh
2. Dundalk
3. Athlone
4. UCD
5. Wexford
6. Kerry
7. Bray
8. Finn Harps
9. Treaty
10. Longford

[Shearer]

1. Cobh Ramblers
2. Dundalk
3. Athlone Town
4. Wexford FC
5. UCD
6. Treaty United
7. Bray Wanderers
8. Kerry FC
9. Finn Harps
10. Longford Town

[BalgriffinRed]

Premier Division:

1. Shels
2. St. Pats
3. Shamrock Rovers
4. Bohemians
5. Derry City
6. Galway United
7. Waterford
8. Sligo
9. Cork
10. Drogheda


First Division:

1. Athlone
2. Cobh Ramblers
3. Dundalk
4. UCD
5. Wexford
6. Bray Wanderers
7. Treaty United
8. Finn Harps
9. Kerry
10. Longford Town

[nigel-harps1954]

Premier:

1. St Pat's
2. Shamrock Rovers
3. Derry
4. Shels
5. Bohemians
6. Waterford
7. Sligo Rovers
8. Galway united
9. Cork city
10. Drogheda united

First:

1. Finn Harps
2. Cobh Ramblers
3. Dundalk
4. UCD
5. Athlone
6. Bray
7. Wexford
8. Treaty
9. Kerry
10. Longford